When did you start working and when did you start full-time work?

[areyousittingontheremote]

Also when did you start paying for yourself completely?

I started work at 15 and carried on from there

I was working full-time at 18 and never stopped for long until I went self-employed and now switch between full and part-time.

It seems natural that my child would begin working around the same age, but is this normal for people now?

At 18 I was considered an adult and expected to buy everything for myself. I moved out then and have been independent ever since.

I never got any funding from parents at uni, I thought this was normal then, or is it a new thing to fund grown up children until early twenties?

I was 12 when I had my first paid job, but I had worked for family friends before then, my first fulltime job was when I was 17, thats also when I became financially independent.

Paper round from 13
Retail/office work from 14-18
Full time from 19 until i started my own business at 28. Still doing that 10 years on

My parents couldn't afford to support me through uni so I went straight into full time work and studied through Open University instead

Saturday jobs at 14 on a market stall then shops, awful summer jobs from 16 to leaving uni. Parents contributed what they had to and no more. Fulltime (37 hours)from then until I was 36 and DS was born, the went 4 long days (32 hours) until I gave up work 10 years later when we moved abroad. Not worked since.
Always expected to give my mum keep when working. She even took rent while we were waiting to get married after buying a house so paying rent and mortgage at 15% interest for 7 months. No "living in sin".😵

Saturday and school holiday job at 14. Full timework at 18 Full time for next 45 years.

I had part-time jobs starting at 14. My parents supported me financially through university which we will also do for our dc. I worked part-time.

their assistance stopped when I finished university. I supported myself in graduate school by getting a fully-funded place with a stipend. I had some cash saved up to bridge the months between graduation and the start of grad school, plus to fund my move. I was able to just work part-time that summer.

I got my first full-time job when I finished my graduate degree.

I moved out when I left for university. Aside from brief stays over breaks, I never moved back in.

Started part time work in a shop when I was 14 (evening and weekend shifts most weeks, about 25hrs a week during school holidays). Full time work when I was 17.
Moved to the other end of the country, where I knew noone at 20 for another job.

Part time from 16, full time from 21.

YABU for not recognising different circumstances - depending on the course it would be impossible for lots of students to work sufficient hours a week to support themselves, plus some unis expressly forbid it working during term time.
I did a humanities course so was able to work a lot but wouldn't expect it of a medical student. Also student loans/costs now are given with the explicit expectation that parents will HAVE to contribute - the maximum living loan isn't anywhere near enough to live on. In some unis the maximum loan doesn't even cover accommodation let alone bills/food/drink/going out/textbooks/travel etc.

I’m 30 now and started working at 13 which seemed very unusual at that time. I was the only person in my year who worked and I only could because I got a special license from the council (tv and film).
I know several of my peers wanted jobs but unless their family members owned businesses nowhere would take them. Even the local chippy and paper round wouldn’t take you under 15.

I started working at 18 because I had to but I wish I’d had the chance to follow a career I would have enjoyed rather than paying the bills.

Started working at 16. I'm not that keen on the idea of DS4 working before he has an NI number and can be properly on payroll.

I worked 16 hours a week at uni until I graduated at 23 and then started full-time work. 15 years later I work part-time. I didn't need the money at uni though, just fell into it as my boyfriend (now DH) worked at the same place. We had a 3 grand loan for tuition and living costs back then and everyone just used their free overdraft.

Started full-time at 16. Lived alone. Mind you, this was 53 years ago.

I have happily managed to avoid work for most of my adult life (and didn't have a job as a teenager, either). I did a couple of years in a high-power, high-pressure job for which I'd spent several years qualifying, and hated it so became a SAHM. I am a complete hypocrite, though, as I spend a lot of time nagging my DC about getting jobs.

Worked in a restaurant whilst at school, then in a bar at uni. Worked full time straight after my masters.

I worked very hard to ensure my children could focus on their education and get the jobs and careers they wanted, not just paid work because they needed it

I started full time at 16 then went part time in 1991. I went back to full time around 2009 (30hours) then increased to 'full' full time in 2015. (37hours)

Dd had a small job at 16. Uni at 18 and worked part time. Full time when she finish uni at 22.

I worked from 15 part time, combo of Waitrose and more admin / office type work experience jobs I was able to get through contacts of my parents’.

My parents fully funded me through uni though including no student loan. In fact they still pay me an allowance now and I’m nearly 40.

As soon as I left uni I got a job (career) and, apart from working part time when dc were small, have continued to work full time in that career ever since.

So despite being a completely spoilt brat, I also have a really strong work ethic. I’m not sure it’s just about parental financial support (tho maybe I wouldn’t have chosen the career I have - teaching - if I didn’t have additional income as I like a nice lifestyle which is unachievable on teaching salary alone!)

I started working at 15 as a professional musician, and carried this on, supplemented with some restaurant work, until I was 18.

Took a gap year at 18 so I was abroad for 8 months then came back and worked 20-35hrs a week until I started uni.

Did some part time work during uni and temping during uni hols, alongside full loan and grant this was enough to avoid parents needing to supplement too much.

Graduated at 23 and went straight into FT work. Did this until I went back PT after mat leave.

First PT job at 16 after GCEs - worked FT at 18, moved out from parents home age 21. Changed to PT work upon having DC and remained PT as providing care to older relatives.

DS started work in apprenticeship scheme age 17, which then became permanent FT role at 18. Before this he struggled to find PT work around his studies as employers seemed to want all hours availability.

Saturday job at 15, full time Civil Service at 17 where I chalked up 33 years and retired on final salary pension at 50.

Start work and full time work at 21

Paper round and babysitting at 13/14. Saturday & Sunday job at 16. I had a full grant at uni & didn't do all that much work. Bit of bar work, cleaning that sort of thing. Didn't have a job in the third year which meant more time for study & fun. Full time work after uni. Year out to travel at 26, Mat leave & a total of 4 years off with babies & young kids. Back to part time now on a 0.5. Honestly, I prefer being part time if I can do it financially. I don't think I have the Protestant work ethic of everyone on this thread!

Worked from 17, F T work at 20. Lived at home for college so that work was only for books and pin money.

I started work at 15, full time at 18. I pretty much worked through my degree as well.

Round here, it is becoming increasingly difficult to find work as a teenager. They are competing with early retirees who are picking up part-time roles to top up.
There is a waiting list for a paper round as most people get their news online now!

In terms of my own kids, it very much depends.

If they want to study something highly competitive, such as medicine/dentistry, etc. and need excellent grades then I would rather encourage them to study. If the course they do is less intense, then I would expect them to work both for the money and extra experience.

Unlike us, they won't get grants, so I expect to subsidise something at some point.

Started full time work the day after my 16th birthday.

Protestant work ethic made me lol!